Packing-counter for-stores



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I. H. T. SIMMONS; PACKING COUNTER FOB.STORES, 8m.

Patented Now 5, 1889.

l vi imeooeo (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v H. T. SIMMONS. PACKING COUNTER FOR STORES, &0. No 414,453. PatentedNov. 5, 1889.

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HENRY T. SIMMONS, OF BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA.

PACKING-COUNTER FOR- STORES, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,453, dated November5, 1889.

Application filed March 19, 1889. Serial No. 303,877. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY T. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomington, in the county of Monroe and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Counters; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to the class of counters for stores, andmore particularly to the branch of that class known as wrapping orpackage counters, and to appliances for attachment thereto and for usetherewith.

The best forms in which I have contemplated embodying my said inventionare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisapplication, and the invention is disclosed in thefollowingspecification and claims.

. Figure 1 is an isometric perspective view of my preferred form ofcounter. Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section thereof, partly brokenaway and with parts in section. Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section.Fig. 4 is a section through one of the covers of the cordreceptacles ofthe counter. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and S are views of modified forms ofpaper-cutters which may be employed with the counter. Fig. 9 is a partsectional view of the counter, showing the paper retaining and holdingdevlce. 1

In the figures, A is the top of the counter, having an even uppersurface to receive and support the articles in the operation ofwrapping. This top is supported, as shown, or in any other preferredway. a. is an upwardlyextending ledge or guard, which will be of servicein keeping packages already wrapped from rolling off the table; but thismay be dispensed with if the counter is placed against a wall. I alsoprovide the counter with two receptacles B B beneath the top to receivepackages or scrap wrapping-paper.

The top of the'counter near one end is provided with one or more narrowslots 12 b 19 through which maybe passed the-ends of one or more webs ofwrapping-paper mounted in any suitable manner beneath the counter. Inthis my preferred form these slots are placed in apart A of the top ofthe counter hinged tothe main portion, so that it can be raised tofacilitate the threading of the paper through the slots and for otherpurposes. This hinged portion maybe fastened down by any preferredmeans. The paper webs are preferably disposed in rolls, which aremounted, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In these figures rolls a m xare mounted in bearings y y in an inclined position in respect to eachother,

so that no matter whether rolls are of the same size-or of differingsize there will be no contact between the webs in unwinding from therolls. The slots b b b may be simply slots in the top of the counter, ormay be faced with metal to avoid wear. This metal may be supported by aplate having a slot in .into the counter, so that the upper surface of Ithe same will be flush with the upper surface;

of. the counter. This guidcway extends nearly to the end of the counter,so that the cutter 0, when drawn to the end of the guideway near the endof the counter, is beyond or outside of line drawn through the ends ofthe paper-slots. The guideway D is of the form best shown in Fig. 3, andhas a slot d extendin glongitudinally thereof. The interior walls ofthis slot below the upper surface of the guide are grooved, as at c e,to receive the carrier of the sliding cutter O, which has side flanges cc engaging the grooves c e of the guideway; This carrier has also at itsends depending portions provided withslots or openings 0 From thecarrier an arm F extends upwardly and longitudinally of the carrier, andata distance from its outer or free end is provided with pins f f. Tothe outer or free end of this arm is pivoted the revolving cutter-bladeF, having a beveled edge, the straight side -opposite directions from,the center.

other cutter-blade. This is to protect the blade and prevent the handsof persons at work at'the counter from injury by coming in contact withthe cutter-blade.

The guideway is .provided at each end wit-h a pulley d,preferablygrooved in line with slot (:1 and located adjacent to the ends of saidslot.

A cord E is connected to the ends of the carrier and passes over thepulleys d d and around a larger pulley'G, mounted in a bracket below thetop of the counter. This pulley G is provided with a wheel or pulley Gof less diameter rigidly connected therewith. A cord 9 is connected tothis pulley and is wound one or more times around the pulley G, and isconnected with a treadle g and another cord g is connected to thispulley in alike manner, but extends in a reverse direction and ispreferably connected to a treadle g. The relative arrangement of thesecords is such that one is wound upon the pulley when the other isunwound, so that one treadle will be raised when the other is depressed.The relative sizes of the pulleys G and G are such that a movement ofone of the treadles will cause the cutter O to move the entire length ofthe slot 01 in one direction,

while the movement of the other treadle will cause the cutter to move alike distance in the opposite direction in a well-known way. Instead ofthe small pulleys and pulleys G G, this last may be slightly raised andthe cord E passed around the part G without the intervention of thesmall pulley d at that end of the guideway. In this case the pulley atthe other end may be of the size shown, or larger, as desired. Near theouter end of the guideway D are placed two paper-clips H H on each sideof the slot d. One of these clips is shown in Fig. 2 in elevation. Eachclip consists of an arm or lever of theform shown, and'is pivoted incars upon the guideway. Aspring it engages the arm at one side of itspivot and keeps the opposite end h in contact. with the upper surface ofthe guideway. The under side of the end h is faced with rubber, as at kto give it a good hold upon the paper. If preferred, the rubber may bedispensed with and the under face k roughened for the same purpose. Whenthe cutter is drawn to the extreme end of the slot, the pins-f engagethe upwardly-curved ends of the clips and raise the ends h out ofcontact with the guideway D,as shown in Fig. 1.

In. Figs. 6 and 8 I have shown a modified formof cutter. In this form ofcutter, instead of rotary blades, one or two stationary inelinei bladesF F are employed. In the form shown in Fig. 6 the base of the cutter isconstructed to engage the guideway in the same manner as in the otherconstruction, and

is provided with two arms I I, extending in The blades F F enterrecesses onthe under side of these arms, and are retained by set-screwsffiwhich pass through one of the walls of the knife or blade recess andimpingev upon the blade. By means of these screws the blades may beadjusted to a greater or less inclination and bring fresh cutting-edgesin contact with the paper. The outer ends of the arms I I are eachprovided with a roller I I, having a rubber or other elastic surfacebearing lightly upon the upper surface of the guideway, the slot d beingmade much narrower than in the form of cutter shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3, and the rollers I I are made wide enough to bear upon both sides ofthe slot. The relative proportions of the Wheels and slot are shown inFigs. 5 and 7.

In Fig. 1, instead of two treadles, I have shown one of the cordsattached to a spiral spring secured to some stationary object. In thiscase the arrangement is such that the tension of the spring upon cord 9tends to, keep the cutter in the position shown in Fig.

1. Pressure upon the treadle will cause the cutter to move quickly tothe other end of the slot, and on the removal'of the pressure upon thetreadle the cutter will be returned to its normal position. Itis-obvious that a Weight mightbe employed instead of a spring. When thespring or weight is employed, I may use a single-bladed cutter, (shownin Fig. 8,) instead of those shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and- 6. This is thesame as that shown in Fig. 6, with the exception that it has but asingle blade and arm and effects the cutting of the paper only whenmoving in the direction caused by the pressure on the treadle.

In Figs. 5 and 7 I show different guiding .means for the carrier 0. InFig. 5 the guideway D is provided with outwardly-extending flanges 2' i,and the base of the cutter is provided with fiangesjj, recesses toreceive and slide upon them. Above the guideway the cutter is providedon each side with a flange j j, engaging the upper surface of theguideway. In Fig. 7 the construction is simplified and the base of thecutter is made to engage the under side of the guideway, while therollers I bear upon the upper surface of the guideway. The chieffunction of the rollers I I is to bear upon and grip the paper, holdingit from movement before and after the blade of the cutter; but in thislatter construction they also serve, in addition, to assist in guidingthe carrier, as they keep i-tin position against the under side of theguideway.

It will be understood that the blade-cutters may be used with thepaper-clips H H, in-

stead of with the rollers, and that the rollers may be used with therevolving cutters instead of such clips.

In order to hold the paper from retracting through the slots 1) b 12 Imay provide each with one or more levers'm, pivoted, as shown in Fig. 9,and having the upper end held against the rear wall of the slot by aspring m. The paper web will pass between this lever and the rear sideof the slot. When the paper is drawn toward the front of the table, thelever m will yield and permit the paper to be drawn freely through theslot, and when released the spring will force the lever backward,gripping the same and holding it from slipping downward through theslot.

The bracket for supporting the pulleys G and G may be made in one piece,and I may manufacture the cutter and its operating devices separate fromthe other parts of my construction for attachment to counters already inuse provided with different paper holding and supplying devices.

The top of the counter is provided with twine-receptacles, which Iprefer to provide with hinged covers K. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 4.) Thesecovers permit the introduction of v the ball of twine, and when thecovers are closed the twine passes out throughthe opening under thepivoted lid k, as shown in Fig. 1. This lid permits the escape of thetwine as it is wanted, but when it is severed from the bundle wrapped,itholds the end of the twine from slipping back into thetwinereceptacle. The hinges of the covers K and the pivoted portion A ofthe top of the counter are so placed that they do not project above theupper surface of the 'counter and will not engage paper or any bundle orpackage placed upon the same.

In operating with my improved devices a web of paper of the proper widthis drawn out under the clips H H and the bundle or article placedthereon, and the paper folded or wrapped around the bundle or articleuntil the required amount has been 'drawn' through the slot, when theoperator by his foot presses the treadle downward, severing the paper..The wrapping is then completed and the package corded and tied by cordfrom. one of the receptacles in the counter. If the spring L isemployed, the cutter on being released will be returned to its formerposition. If two treadles are employed instead, the cutter will remainuntil returned by pressure upon the other treadle, which movement may,if desired, be made to effect another cutting of the paper. The treadlemight be replaced by a lever adapted to be moved by the hand of theoperator.

'What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A wrapping-counter having a surface for supporting and wrappingarticles upon and provided with paper-web supports, a reciprocatingpaper-cutter, and a movable op- .erating device to be engaged by handorfoot,

substantially as described.

2. A wrapping-counter having a surface for supporting articles whilebeing wrapped, hav ing paper-web supports and provided with a guideway,a reciprocating cutter moving in said gnideway, a movable operatingdevice to be engaged by hand or foot, and connections connecting thesame with the cutter, substantially as described.

8. A wrapping-counter having a surface for supporting articles whilebeing wrapped, in combination with a guideway, a reciprocating cuttermounted in said guideway, a band or belt for moving said cutter, pulleysfor supporting and moving said belt, and a movable operating device tobe engaged by hand or foot connected with said pulleys, substantially asdescribed.

vided with a surface for supporting articles while being wrapped,supports for paper webs beneath said top, a portion of said top beingprovided with slots for the passage of thepaper webs, said slottedportion havinga hingetially as described. p

5. The combination, with a wrapping counter having slots for the passageof webs of paper therethrough, of -a paper-retaining and forcing thepaper against the rear wall of the slot, whereby a pull upon the paperto withdraw the same moves the lever to release the paper, substantiallyas described. 7

6. The combination, with a counter having a surface for holding articleswhile being wrapped, of cord-receptacles below the surface of thecounter, the said counter being provided with openings for the passageof the cord from said receptacles, and lids for said receptacles andlids for said cord-openings, whereby the backward slipping of the cordis prevented, substantially as described.

reciprocating paper-cutter and paperclips adapted to engage the paper oneach side of the path of said cutter, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the counter, .of areciprocatingpaper-cutter,paper-clipslocated edge of the paper, saidclips having upwardlycurved portions, and pins on said cutter adapted toengage the upwardly-curvedportions of said clips, substantially asdescribed.

9. As an attachment for wrapping-counters, the guideway, the cuttermounted in said guideway, the cord or band for moving the same, thepulley G, and the treadle-operating tially as described.

presence of two witnesses.

' HENRY T. SIMMONS. WVitnesses:

' J; H. WHITAKER,

EDWIN SICLARKSON.

4. A wrapping counter having a top pro connection with the main portion,substan- 4 lever under tension applied within said slots A ice 7. Thecombination, with the counter, of a V on each side of said cutter forengaging an devices for actuating the pulley G, substan- In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in

